Republicans Curtail Convention Opening Day

Sept 1, 2008

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Democrats Go Silent in Minneapolis

The Democrats who have set up a war room in Minneapolis and planned to give away buttons that read "Ask Me How Many Houses I Own" have muzzled themselves, not wanting to appear partisan at a time of national crisis.

"In light of the situation in the Gulf Coast, the Democratic National Committee announced that is has canceled its daily media briefing at the More of the Same Media Center on Monday, Sept. 1. Additional scheduling updates will be provided when available," DNC spokesman Damian LaVera said in a media release.

Obama told reporters Sunday that he doesn't plan to visit the region because of the resources that would be taken away from the hurricane in providing for a visit, but said he plans to mobilize his network of volunteers and donors to help with Hurricane Gustav's aftermath.

Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden also decided not to march in the Pittsburgh Labor Day parade today, to avoid images of himself celebrating while Gulf Coast Americans evacuate.

"It shouldn't be a day for national politics," Biden said at a hastily-arranged press conference in a downtown Pittsburgh today. "There's too much happening down there in the Gulf Coast, we don't know what's gonna happen finally, and so we decided that we just weren't gonna march in the parade."

While McCain's schedule remains up in the air, the McCain campaign said that they are still planning on having a roll call vote on Wednesday officially nominating McCain as the Republican presidential candidate and Palin as the vice presidential candidate.

And McCain is still expected to deliver an acceptance speech -- though he isn't expected to garner anywhere near the 84,000 people who watched Obama accept his party's nomination last Thursday night in Denver's Invesco Mile High Stadium.

"[T]his is a time when we have to do away with our party politics and we have to act as Americans. It's a time to act," McCain said in remarks Sunday afternoon. "I want to thank my fellow Republicans as we take off our Republican hats and put on our American hats and say, America we are with you and we are going to care about these people in their time of need."